Menttium Awardees

The Women Lawyers Association of Michigan Foundation (WLAMF) has sponsored a number of Michigan attorneys as Mentees in the nationally-recognized Menttium 100 Program. See www.menttium.com. Menttium 100 matches mid-level, high potential women with a more senior executive mentor from a different organization. As participants in this year-long program, Menttium 100 women have an opportunity to form a mentoring partnership with a more senior executive, attend six half-day business forums and establish a peer network with over 100 professional women. The WLAMF Menttium program was made possible by generous funding from the Ford Fund.

Profiles of the WLAMF Menttium Awardees follow:

2002 Charlotte Johnson
Charlotte Johnson, then-Dean of Students at the University of Michigan Law School. Ms. Johnson was matched with mentor Terry Barclay, Executive Director of the Women's Economic Club. Ms. Johnson requested a mentor who was running a nonprofit organization, which is one of her long-range goals. Ms. Johnson was extremely pleased with the mentor assignment. She observed that "Menttium has provided a rich and interesting avenue for professional and personal growth, being very suited to different styles of learning and exploration."

2005 Kathleen Conklin
Ms. Conklin was at the time of the award an attorney for the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, which she joined in 2002. Ms. Conklin coordinated the "Pro Bono Project" of the MCADSV, in a partnership with the State Bar of Michigan, consulting with private attorneys, pro-bono attorneys and legal advocates working with domestic and sexual violence survivors. She had then over seventeen years of professional experience related to the area, including her work as the Supervising Attorney for the Domestic Violence Unit of Legal Services of South Central Michigan, and work with the Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service in the HIV/AIDS Advocacy Project. Her background included an additional eight years experience in civil practice with an emphasis on landlord-tenant, housing, family, criminal defense and administrative law.

2006 Mitzy Sharp Futro
Ms. Futro was at the time of the award the Director of the Nonprofit Services Program for the Volunteer Accounting Service Team of Michigan (VAST-MI), and was responsible for leadership, development and training on management of non-profit organizations. Before joining VAST-MI, she represented various non-profit clients as part of her private law practice, and worked as a staff attorney for Community Legal Resources in Detroit. Her goals as a Menttium participant were to develop leadership skills as to goal-setting and resource maximization during difficult times.

2007 Lori D. Becker
Ms. Becker was at the time of the award the Managing Partner in a Novi law firm specializing in business law, contract negotiation, estate planning, real estate, family and criminal law. She taught business law at Walsh College and Northwood University, and completed her Master of Business Administration degree while also attending law school at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. Ms. Becker worked for over eight years as an advocate with HAVEN, assisting domestic violence victims. Her goals as a Menttium participant were to develop leadership skills that support her collaborative approach to family law, particularly alternative dispute resolution as to divorce.

2008 Karen Maheu
Ms. Maheu was Vice President of Global Resourcing for Lumen Legal, in Royal Oak, Michigan. While at Lumen Legal (formerly Contract Counsel), Ms. Maheu played key roles in transforming the company from a tri-state legal staffing company to one with a national presence. Before joining Lumen Legal in 1999, Ms. Maheu served as Director of Career Services at Michigan State University College of Law, a particularly challenging position during that school’s transition from private to public institution. Ms. Maheu helped hundreds of lawyers to grow as in their careers, and hoped to benefit, and serve the community, as a result of the Menttium leadership experience.